US judge orders release of $5.8m Trump owes E Jean Carroll after court loss

Key Points:

• A Manhattan federal judge ordered the release of over $5 million owed by Donald Trump to E. Jean Carroll following her successful 2023 sexual abuse and defamation trial, with the funds now totaling about $5.8 million due to accrued interest.
• Trump promptly filed paperwork to appeal the decision, despite the US Supreme Court recently declining to review his case, which removed a key barrier to the funds' disbursement.
• The money had been deposited into a court-controlled escrow system (CRIS) agreed upon by both parties during ongoing appeals, ensuring the funds could not be hidden or shielded while litigation continued.
• Carroll's legal team, led by Roberta Kaplan, urged the swift release of funds, emphasizing that after four years of litigation, the case should conclude, while Trump's lawyers argue that releasing the money now could cause irreparable harm if the Supreme Court later rules in his favor.
• Legal experts believe Carroll is likely to receive the funds soon, noting that further appeals or stays from Trump are unlikely to succeed given the Supreme Court's rare acceptance of rehearing petitions.